Wednesday, 27 October 2010

307 THERAPY?, Vent, Newport Centre, Friday 27 October 1995

Off for some serious noise tonight, we were nevertheless delayed on the way down, so missed all of opener Understand (no great loss), and most of Vent. Former Wonderstuff Miles Hunt's new charges were angry, shouty and not a little like Rollins Band, Miles' new hero and obvious current role model (tattoos and all). Not my cup of tea at all, so after the cocky melody of the Stuffies, I found this immensely disappointing.

However, I popped down to the moshpit (which was full of 16 year olds in Metallica and Nirvana t-shirts) for Therapy?, a band I've underestimated in the past, but recently warmed to. Their set was excellent, visually energetic and dynamic, and full of meaty hard rocking anthems with chunky, sing-along choruses. Playing to huge crowds at the likes of Reading and Donington has also evidently taught Therapy? how to handle a crowd, as, despite obvious rock clichés such as introducing the band, and exhorting the crowd to pump up the volume, they handled the large and enthusiastic moshpit in this cavernous venue excellently. Credibility points for attitude ("let's turn this place into a big TJs", referring to the local rock dive venue) and taste (excellent covers of Joy Division's desolate "Isolation", and an excellent, emotive reading of Husker Du's "Diane"), as well as for fine punchy versions of their own rockers "Die Laughing" and my highlight "Nowhere". A dynamic, sweaty and great night out; thanks Therapy?!